There soon could be another South Carolina Republican. In addition to Nikki Haley seeking the 2024 presidential nomination, Tim Scott, the party’s only black senator, may launch his own campaign. He’s kicked off what his team is calling a national listening tour and is expected to speak next week in early primary state of Iowa. Just last night, he was keynote speaker at an event in Charleston Our Gary Tuchman was also there and talked with voters plus a packed ballroom with many of South Carolina’s Republican movers and shakers. I’m retired. I used to be a banker. I made other people rich. This is the city and county of Charleston, South Carolina. The occasion, the fifth annual Black History Month banquet sponsored by the county Republican Party. The keynote speaker South Carolina Republican U.S. Senator Tim Scott. My story is the American story. And Scott’s story could soon include running for president. I am running for president of the United States of America. His fellow South Carolinian, former Governor Nikki Haley, already is. These Republicans in the Palmetto State are enjoying the attention. And we were definitely a Trump state. And and I think people still have a great deal of feeling for him. But then there’s a baby, Nikki. She decided she’s going to run and there’s a lot of passion for her, too. Larry Karofsky is a Republican, Charleston County Council member. Well, it makes you feel pride because both of them are legitimate contenders. And you could imagine either them being president. And indeed, a number of Republicans we talk to here are ready to commit to one of their fellow South Carolinians. I love Tim Scott. I just feel like he’s got our best interests at heart. That’s true, but not necessarily on the top of the ticket. If you could set your own ticket, who would you vote for for president of the Santos and Haley would be vice president or to Santos. And Tim Scott would be vice president. My suspicion is that the one that will be electable will be the. But Mark Knapp, a lifelong Charles Etonian, still thinks Donald Trump can win and is ready to vote for him again. I don’t know if Nikki’s really got what it takes to deal with the swamp. What about Tim Scott if he announces he’s running for president? I like Tim a lot, but I haven’t seen the demeanor. I think it’s going to take some wrestles with little scalawags in Washington. There are some Democrats who came to the scale to celebrate Black History Month, but most everyone else we talked to did vote for Donald Trump twice However, we met quite a few who are looking for a fresh face. Wouldn’t you vote for Trump again? Trump is divisive. He is. He continues to play divisive politics cards and he hasn’t grown up since. I don’t think I’m on the side of leaning towards where we’ve been. I’m more focused on leaders of presenting new opportunities and where we could go from here. Does that mean that you’re not leaning towards voting for Donald Trump? That’s that would be my personal preference, yes. Not surprisingly, at this early stage, the majority of people we talked to say they are not sure who they will vote for yet. I’ve been a Republican since 1988 and I was a freshman in college so I am very dedicated to the party. But you don’t know which Republican you like just yet to sound. And that’s what the chair of this county’s Republican Party, Maurice Washington, likes to hear. He wants this campaign to be a competition, not a coronation. This is not going to be this part to see and allow the former president to walk through Gary joins us now from Charleston. During Senator Scott speech, did he raise the possibility of running Senator Scott to not mention the presidential race during a speech, Anderson, but before the speech, he held a short session with journalists, local journalists, not admitted were the national journalists. A reporter from The Post and Courier, which is the daily newspaper here in Charleston, asked the question. Will he endorse Nikki Haley? His response to her was, quote. Next question. Also, the paper says a question was asked to him what would lead him to going into the presidential race? And his answer to that was, quote, I’m not going to dodge your question, but I’m also not going to answer it. There you are. Which is an answer in and of itself. Gary Tuchman, appreciate it. Thank you. Perspective now from former Republican Congressman Adam Kinzinger, who’s now a CNN senior political commentator. So it certainly seems like some Republicans are ready to move on from the former president. Do you think they actually want to move on from Trumpism? Well, that’s a good question. And, you know, I think what’s what’s interesting right now, so Nikki Haley and by the way, I’m actually personally at Tim Scott’s and I know him personally. He’s a good man. But Nikki Haley, she has an opportunity to distinguish herself. Let’s just take the issue of Ukraine. You know, Donald Trump has been very clear. He would cut off aid to Ukraine. Ron DeSantis really hasn’t said anything about Ukraine. And Nikki Haley could be. Keep in mind, most Republicans still support us supporting Ukraine in that war. But she’s kind of avoided that issue. She’s going out of her way to not distinguish herself from Donald Trump. And I personally think that means a she may be just making a play for vice president. But the other thing be I think it means that she’s not, I think missing the opportunity to be different because you have to distinguish herself from Trumpism. So I think there’s to be a lot of people that in the Republican Party still a bit like Trump or Trumpism. But I think there’s a real opportunity for the person to come forward and present an optimistic, hopeful scenario for the future. I mean, how tarnished is she by her association with the former president? I mean, when you know when the back in 2015 2016 she was supporting Marco Rubio. She was, you know, saying some very tough things about then candidate Donald Trump. Obviously, she went to work for him ultimately. Yeah. I mean that’s like 99% of Republicans out there have that sense. And so I think in her case, I think what’s done damage to her when it comes to Trump is the fact that she has been for him and against him then for him then against them wasn’t going to run and then it’s now running. So though that like Donald Trump, they already don’t trust her. Those who don’t like Donald Trump don’t trust her. She has an opportunity to distinguish herself as far as being involved in the administration. She actually did a really good job, I think, as U.N. ambassador. So I don’t think being in the administration is necessarily going to taint her. It’s been her Yes. And knows hot and cold on Donald Trump. How formidable, formidable do you think Tim Scott would be? I look, I’ll tell you, since I’ve since I even met Tim Scott in 2011, I was elected with him in the house. I always had in my mind, this guy is at least going to make a solid run for the presidency and probably be president. There is most people may know his name. They don’t know his story. Once his story gets out there, it’s really breathtaking. His whole life is breathtaking. And I think he’s always been my kind of dark horse candidate in this race that I think nobody was talking about until fairly recently. But I see him as not not a great comparison, but kind of Bill Clinton in 92 who came out of nowhere and ended up rocketing to the top. There already I mean, Nikki Haley, Tim Scott, Mike Pompeo, I mean, Bolton it seems like there’s already a fair number of people, you know, in in getting close to running in one form or another. It seems like there’s going to be I mean do we risk. Is there the risk of a you know of a huge field that then benefits the former president? There’s a huge risk. Huge risk. Just like 2016 happen. It really could happen again now and it’s a big worry for Republicans. Adam Kinzinger, I appreciate your time. Thanks very much.
